A Late Quartet… a very very late quartet

Christopher Walken

Call time was 4:30 PM –they wrapped us at 5:AM the following morning. But the excruciating part was that they didn’t use most of us for the first 7 hours. We just sat in holding at NYC’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s lunch room area while the principals did their shtick in the theater section opposite the Egyptian papyrus drawings.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

I met up with a few of my background-buddies and camped out in the back of the non-SAG area. There were not enough chairs for everyone so we switched sitting and standing at opportune intervals. At times the banter flowed easily, at other times we were just gawking at the well dressed people and commenting on their attributes. Some of the young women had no problem with slinking in and out of their evening wear in front of a hundred people while still wearing their street clothes to cover any overexposure. Women are so clever… they know how to entertain us guys!

We had brown-paper bagged lunches at 9:00 PM, while the SAG-people had a hot catered meal. The familiar foment of the non-SAG masses began with a disgruntled murmur. So much so that our PA had to make a speech about this food/room-apartheid not being a class-distinction but rather a “fact of acting-life”. Yet another instance of “acting strange”! (Please note that I do not hate SAG people –I hate the class separation. Also, to be fair -for a SAG-point of view, please read Jennie's comments at the end of this blog entry).

The irony in all this was that we were all supposed to be dressed as high-style/upper-class patrons of the art, observing the performance of a highly successful string quartet. The quartet on the stage was composed of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener and Mark Ivanir. Yaron Zilberman was the director and Wallace Shawn had a part in the near-stage audience (the rest of us were far and fuzzy non-descript stage audiences).

Wally Shawn

But it was fun to watch the principals banter on the stage. Walken being the nuttiest with his usual “did my mind arrive yet” persona. A couple of giggles ensued when Hoffman tried too hard to play his viola and screeched a few sounds (none of them could really play –the music was all dubbed in the background). But the part that really irked me was that none of them showed any passion (didn’t even try to show how much the music was affecting them), in spite of their music coach… so where’s the acting!?. Mark Ivanir was the only one to pick up on how to move his fingers for a vibrato effect on his violin.

Mark Ivanir

Too bad their collective effort to show a top-class musical group in action, was really falling flat and it was obvious that none of them had any musical training. And Keener was constantly removing her shoes and rubbing her toes -even rolled down her stockings above her knees to the surprised guffaws of her fellow "musicians". Uptight with a bad fit, I’d guess.

Catherine Keener

The Takacs String Quartet (briefly referred to and badly mispronounced by Christopher Walken on stage) is most likely the group that this movie was modeled after. A short bio from their home page states: "The Takacs Quartet was formed in 1975 at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest by Gabor Takács-Nagy, Károly Schranz, Gabor Ormai and András Fejér, while all four were students. It first received international attention in 1977, winning First Prize and the Critics’ Prize at the International String Quartet Competition in Evian, France. The Quartet also won the Gold Medal at the 1978 Portsmouth and Bordeaux Competitions and First Prizes at the Budapest International String Quartet Competition in 1978 and the Bratislava Competition in 1981. The Quartet made its North American debut tour in 1982. Violinist Edward Dusinberre joined the Quartet in 1993 and violist Roger Tapping in 1995. Violist Geraldine Walther replaced Mr. Tapping in 2005. In 2001 the Takács Quartet was awarded the Order of Merit of the Knight’s Cross of the Republic of Hungary." Memento mori: In 1994, Ormai learned that he had incurable cancer -he died in 1995 at age 40. For his part, Christopher Walken plays the elder member of the quartet, who has developed Parkinsons Disease and who consequently in the middle of their playing, stands up and announces that he can't keep up with his members -then following it with the introduction of a replacement cello player. A little more banter with the audience as he throws a kiss to all and walks off stage right. Bravo! (Take 5...6...7...)

By 3:30 AM everyone in the audience was keeling over with sleep –and when the director said we could break for 5 minutes… well, the groans were just inescapable. And they were followed by “We don’t need 5 minutes –we need to go home!”. Apparently the powers that be eventually relented and by 5:00 AM some of us were in the street at 5th Avenue and 84th Street, hailing cabs, including me.

I thought that I could get home by catching a cab to Penn Station and hopping on a late-night train. Unfortunately I had just missed the 4:54 AM and had to wait over an hour before the next train was leaving toward my home’s destination. Needless to say I didn’t get any sleep. But it felt good to be home, say hello to my wife –change my clothes and leave for work. And I know I said this before… but now I mean it: NO MORE OVERNIGHT SHOOTS! (Really...)

Man On A Ledge on Madison Avenue

Elizabeth Banks and Sam Worthington (aka: The Avatar guy)

I should have known when my agent, Desiree, asked me if I was up to doing this stint for 2 weekends –that it was going to be something grueling. And it was… 5:AM calls, for which, I had to get up at 3:15 AM… or so I set my clock, and then promptly turned it off in my sleep-deprived delirium. Of course my wife –who happened to get up at 4:AM nudged me to remind me about this gig.

And then I realized... WHOAAA! ---- I'm gonna be late?!!!

Kyra Sedgwick, cop, ME-the one with the bright face- and Sam Worthington

And in 10 minutes I took my shower, dressed and was out the door and into my car. I was no longer deliberating on whether or not I should take a train from my home station. The drive from my house to the city on the empty roads was a marvel of delight! I was there and parked at our 45th street and 2nd Avenue holding area in under 40 minutes.

Why I rush to these early calls I’ll never know. The line was out the door and the hundreds of extras that were slated for this scene weren’t finished being processed for another hour. But a commitment is a commitment –and I stick by it.

Holding was a kind of an unfinished store with a second half-floor overlooking the 1st. It had exposed girders and lot’s of cement dust. But it was able to hold the large band of extras –many of whom (us non-SAG bg’s) were corralled to the cramped, untabled, darkened, second floor. This is such a bunch of hooeyfied discrimination. SAG gets to be in a spacious floor with tables and the rest of us get to cramp up in a cave-like dwelling. Reminded me of the beginning of 2001:A Space Odyssey –where the apes are huddling inside a cavern. First come, first served -I say!

Three madeup Hassids

One of the production assistants went around to ask if anyone wanted to be made up to be a Hassidic Jew!? Three old guys were "chosen" –and it took about an hour for the makeup experts to affix the appropriate facial hair to make them look authentic. Luckily there were 2 real-deal Hassids they could copy from. Other exotics were Sikhs and Moslems.
(Gosh… I hope it’s politically correct to call them “exotics” -since the rest of us were ND's?!)

We were finally called to set a little before 7:AM and placed in bunches along the four corners of Madison Avenue and 45th Street, near The Roosevelt Hotel. This is where “the ledge” was going to be… about 20 stories up. There was very little oversight for us bg's and we tended to wander over to wherever we wanted to -unless we were selected to do some "feature" work (but only the cute girls get picked for that)!

Michael Laurence

I wound up on one corner the first day doing the "crowd below does cheer and fist-pump" action for the man on the ledge. There was a taxi in front of us and the scuzzy-looking guy sitting on it looked familiar. I inched up to him and asked him if he was in the last season of DAMAGES. He was glad that I recognized him and we chatted for a minute or two. As it turned out, he was playing a scuzzy-looking guy again in this scene also. His name was Michael Laurence -an upcoming star.

Sam was our hero and confidently tethered through his clothing, as were the other ledge-walkers (cameramen, stunt dudes, other actors, etc.)... but it was still a scarry sight to see Sam sit on the corner ledge and dangle his feet while waving to the crowd below to react to him. 20 stories below, an airbag awaited any wardrobe-malfunction problems that might suddenly occur.

Man on a Ledge throws money to the extras

The "jump" was done in 4 takes: two for the stunt-double, who was raised about 30 feet above the bag via crane and cable; and two takes following with Sam doing a 10 foot backward-falling dive from the crane's ledge (sans tether). We were viewing this from our new places -next to an ambulance that was constantly on and sending carbon monoxide into our immediate area. We complained to the nearby PA to tell the ambulance driver to turn the motor off... he then called another PA with our complaint...who, in turn called another PA... until finally, the 4 th PA behind us came over to us and asked "What's the problem???". When we explained and showed him the exhaust we had to stand near, he shrugged his shoulder, spoke into his walkie-talkie and no one did anything. Since we were all getting a bit dizzy, we decided to take our safety into our own hands and joined another crowd -far away from the ambulance. No one noticed. As I said before, oversight on this set was very poor. Where are the union-reps when you need them?

Director Asger Leth

But we background extras are a hearty group and when we "smell" action coming up -we persevere! And action it was... as Kyra Sedgewick and Ed Harris came on the set. The director with the very understated persona was Asger Leth. He was friendly enough and even posed for the crowd toward the end of the day. Only the physical scenes seemed to animate him -as he went over to Ed and Sam to explain how he wanted the fight-movements to take place.

Sam Worthington fights with Ed Harris - ME at extreme right

The scene was Sam Worthington slugging Ed Harris while Kyra, as a newswoman, interviews him during his aggressive arrest by the army of cops. For some reason, Kyra kept laughing everytime after this scene ended. Ed Harris got the worst of it -as his clean beige suit got dirtier and dirtier on the back after each take. I was worried for Ed... he looked very skinny to start with. Maybe it was because of his age... or maybe it was to make him look more evil for the part he was playing... or maybe because of all the cigarettes he was smoking on set??? Nonetheless, the makeup department always fixed him up and he survived the dozzen or so rough takes.

At one point we were placed around Ed Harris' Mercedes and told to react to the fighting. Later we were taken away to the remotest parts of the set as tracks were laid down for the camera to shoot from "behind" us (albeit without us). An hour later we were taken back to the car, only to realize that a different set of people were already there. As we tried to insist that "we were here first" a fight almost broke out between two girls. One of them getting really nasty -cursing and ready to poke the other gal in the face. (As I always say: The real show takes place behind the scenes!) I blame this all on the crew who did not insist on having "continuity" in the scene. We were about 8 feet away from the principal characters -so our faces were definitely associated with the scene. But how will it look when all of a sudden you have different faces in the background a second or so later in the film. Very poor oversight on this set.

Though there was ONE good thing about the poor oversight... the paparazzo's were rampant -both internal to our set and externally (freelancers and tourists) . No one could control the incessant cell-phone cameras from sneaking photos of the stars and the scenes at just about every juncture... even during the takes. This resulted in me being able to find a couple of pretty good photos on the web... the very next day! (So, for us extras, the papparazzi is our friend.)

Our legs were killing us -we had to stand for most of the 10 hour sets over a couple of days of shooting. Ten minute breaks afforded us a few cups of coffe to stay awake form our sleep-deprived stupor. And lunch was a "boxed lunch" -for most of us who were non-SAG; the union guys got hot food downstairs while we had to watch them eat from our upstairs cave. But I chalked it up to practicing "humility" and hung with my fellow extras in communistic endurance... waiting for "the REVOLUTION"!

Got into an Italian film: IL GIORNO IN PIU

The title translates into meaning "The Extra Day"... and that's exactly what I did. Took an "extra" vacation day to be in this gig.

Visions of Frederico Fellini wafted through my egotistic mushy brain. Half expecting some surrealistic dreamscape as my background -but as it turned out, it was Times Square's bustling crowd across the street from TKTS and in front of McDonalds on a relatively gray and chilly Monday. Very close to where my paying-job takes place!

Fabio Volo

The love story was based on a book written by the main actor, Fabio Volo. Apparently he loses a letter that was meant to be sent to a girl he needs to meet. But having lost the envelope with all the pertinent info about her -he is lost. Fortunately for him, a hot dog vendor finds the letter and intercedes in some way to bring them together -albeit after some comical romps.

Massimo Venier

We were taken to this set and summarily selected for the "hot dog vendor scene"! My luck still held out as the director, Massimo Venier, chose me (most likely because of my long beige scarf). They wanted someone who was wearing "something light colored" as opposed to the drab blacks and grays that most of us sported (as per wardrobe instructions in our call sheets).

And so it was me and the "intermediary star" of this film, the hot dog vendor, who would be the centerpiece of the film maker's camera lens... and the gawking tourists, at least for an hour or two! I kept fantasizing about my co-workers walking by -alas, that didn't happen!

The direction was to have the vendor serve me a hot dog on a bun (I never eat that stuff -but then, that's part of acting strange) -and as I accept it, he sees some signage on a van that he must note down immediately. I fiddle with my pockets -vainly searching for some change while he mugs surprise and intense discovery. Our exchange is friendly enough, but I suspect the only thing that will be in the film is my hand accepting the hot dog... if that much!?

After wrapping up, I headed for the train -down the same path I usually take for my regular job and soon get a call from my agent. She asked if I could be available for tomorrow because they wanted me back... since they didn't get the shot... since it was getting too Autumn-dark.

Such are the foibles of rescinding Daylight Savings Time: night comes too quickly (especially to my movie career). I was already booked to do something else... and couldn't return.

A Russel Brand of ARTHUR for 2011

A very different Arthur from the one in the 1980's... Russel Brand kept sniffing "booze" from a plastic water bottle in order to keep his "spirits up" -so to speak. And as the wedding scene wore on through the day and into the night at New York City's St. Bartholomew's, Russel became totally inebriated -which made his "strip scene" a totally fall-down drunk success!

(When the movie came out, I got a few microseconds of face-time.)

Yes folks. Russel took it down to his blue "tidy whities" for the big finale! And managed to prance back onto the set to do it over and over and over... ugh...and over again. Supported through it all by our background "noises of aversion" as wedding guest extras.

It was the big "rebellion" scene. But quite frankly, it was Jennifer Garner who made the most of it all. Walking elegantly down the aisle with her "daddy" played by Nick Nolte. And later as the punch-throwing angry bride in response to Arthur's objection to their wedding at the altar.
When I first saw Nick Nolte, his powerful role from Rich Man/Poor Man immediately popped into my mind. And of course the subsequent newspaper stories about his substance abuse and rapid decline from his heyday as a strong actor. His presence as Jennifer's tough-guy father dressed in a fancy tuxedo was way too passive. But looking into his face just a few feet away from us was memorable. More so for me because he resembled my Uncle Louie -and for a few moments I was lost in those fond memories of playing chess with my now deceased relative.


I was hoping that Helen Miren (as Arthur's faithful and worldly butler) would be there also -but alas (and a definite lack), the scene did not call for it. However, there was a cute bridesmaid at the altar who resembled Maggie Gyllenthaal a lot. So much so that I needed verification that it wasn't her, from my daylong companion on my left, Christine. Christine was very definite: NO! that's not Maggie. Nonetheless, I kept staring at the poor actress all day -perhaps in hopes that Christine was wrong!?

In the vein of my personal philosophy regarding the best seat in the house (personal quote: "The real show goes on backstage!") was most brought to life during this stint. Primarily because of the kookie couple sitting behind me doing the "running commentary routine" about every moment with the stars. They violated every rule in the "extras book" and took photos of everything with their phone-cameras as the scene was being set up, being filmed -and pretty much at any time they pleased. Their phones would jingle at odd times... they'd carry on conversations while filming was ongoing and chat with the actors between takes... etc. AND NO ONE EVER CALLED THEM OUT FOR IT! The usual "punishment" for getting caught taking pictures or bugging the stars is instant ejection from the set. But the stars were generous with their time and attention to the extras -so, as it turned out, everyone had a great time.

In one instance Jennifer took advice from one of the "wedding guest" extras sitting on the aisle regarding the necessity for everyone to "stand up during the bride's walk" down the aisle. Jennifer openly spoke to the director, Jason Winer...
...and the correction was immediately instituted. Later Jennifer saw that we were beginning to nod off from our long stint inside St. Bart's not-so-comfortable pew sitting, so she asked us to do the "WAVE" (you know, the one done at baseball games) -and it worked. We were all a bit more alert for the final takes, at the end of which, Russel (covered by a robe), gave a short "thank you to the extras" speech. That was unexpectedly nice (given his sniffed-up mental state)... but we were all very tired and, while appreciative of the recognition, ran out of the building to stand on the voucher line, which was now hundreds of extras long. The total stint was from 7:AM to 9:PM. And we, non-union extras, only got treated to a cup of water and an apple -and a walkaway lunch (read: buy your own) from the chincy Warner Brothers.

RUBICON bears crossing at AMC

James Badge Dale and Miranda Richardson

My agent finally sent a bunch of castcall notices, one of which was for an upcoming summer TV series called Rubicon. She’d been out sick for quite a few months, leaving us to dig in the dirtpile offerings of Craigslist. With Craigslist you never know what’s reputable and what’s not. Unfortunately, the “what’s not” portion is the larger pile. So when my agent’s notices arrive I’m relieved to know that it’s a real gig.

I did my usual research of what the series was about and clipped a few pix from the internet of the principal actors (so I’d know who they are when I’m on the set). I find that by doing this little chore, I’m looked upon as the “more experienced one” among my fellow background peers during our chats. For some reason, very few bg people do this –but I find that it gives a much greater appreciation of the work I’m involved in.

It was a 10:00 AM call near the South Street Seaport. But this was only for checking in and getting your wardrobe approved. We could either wear a dark suit or a tux. I brought both and was approvingly told that the suit I was already wearing was perfect. The wardrobe guy asked if I had a comb. This was a question I hadn’t ever been asked yet. But when I answered in the affirmative, I was told:

“Good! Just keep combing yourself every now and then.”

And an hour later we were taken to the set near Wall Street. It was an old building with old-money furniture. We were to be background guests in a drawing room at a cocktail reception for a millionaire’s fund-raiser. The plot of the series was about a young think-tank worker who discovers that the organization he’s working for is somehow involved with influencing word affairs (in many ways similar to another TV series called “Alias”). Be that as it may, I was paired up with a distinguished looking gentleman with a long silver ponytail. While chatting, he told me that he was a well to do businessman selling cosmetic products and that he’d done some bit parts but wasn’t a member of SAG yet. One of his anecdotes dealt with an altercation he had with Julia Roberts. Apparently Julia was snippy to him and he told her off. Probably an argument over the SAG vs. non-SAG people at the lunch counter.

The principals in the scene were Miranda Richardson and James Badge Dale (lead). But as the scene kept getting shot from different angles, a couple of other familiar looking actors joined the entourage of principals. And this is where things started to get frustrated –because we’ve seen these minor actors before but we just didn’t know their names… and the problem was that none of the crew knew them either. Angst! The good news is that my co-starring extra and I were positioned close to the action –right where the principals were walking by. Then suddenly one of the PA's came over to clarify the "unknown" actor's name: David Rasche -a very active actor (most recently in Ugly Betty). And the other one was Arliss Howard, who plays Ingram, JBD's boss on the show.

Anyway, it was episode #5 entitled “Connecting the Dots”… and the airing date will be around late August – September 2010 on the AMC channel. And I, for one, will be crossing the Rubicon (unless I wind up on the cutting-room’s floor)!

Epilogue:The episode aired Sunday, 8/22/2010:

As James Badge Dale walks by on the left, I'm chatting with the silver-haired gentleman on the right. Even got a decent closeup...yesssssss!

EPILOGUE: During my stint on Man on a Ledge, as I was waiting for my car to be brought out of the garage, there was a man in front of me on his cell phone saying "...and RUBICON got cancelled!". And sure enough... sadly, it was.

Denis Leary does a RESCUE ME in Rockaway

Rockaway has suddenly become THE place for shooting films and TV shows. A few months ago Jennifer Aniston was seen on a set there and last Thursday it was RESCUE ME with Denis Leary.

Denis, being the female-friendly person that he is, stopped in for a couple of photo-ops at the place that they were filming near... which happened to be my wife's workplace. Needless to say, the women lined up for a quick pose.

Saw God of Carnage on Halloween

James Gandolfini gets "mobbed" for autographs!

I expected a heavy and brooding play going into the theater. After all, other than Jeff Danels, the other three actors are seldom in anything but dramatic roles. So I was pleasantly surprised when the "your kid hit my kid" theme metamorphosed into a comical "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf" scenario.
Excellent acting all around from each of them. And what I really liked a lot, was that each actor had an even amount of script to make the best of... and they did!

After the play, we did the stage-door Johnnie and Janie thing. Waiting outside for an hour just to get their autographs. Marcia Gay Harden was very funny, kidded with us and got into the Halloween mood with a green wig. Hope Davis began signing autographs but was distracted by her friend, Andrea Martin (Aunt Voula from My Big Fat Greek Wedding). Jeff Daniels was very accomodative to all the fans and it was really a blast to see all of these great actors scribling autographs just a few feet away from us -responding to quick chit chats and posing for photos.
Generally I don't go for autographs or hang around the theater stage doors. But my wife gets a charge out of it and it rubs off on me. Very strange and a different atmosphere from times when I'm an extra -and the main actors are off-limits to us. And it's interesting to note that it's possible to enjoy both type of situations -albeit in different ways.

DAMAGES don't show on Martin Short

There are days when it just gets better and better to be an extra. Today was one of those!
(Episode 1 aired on 1/25/2010: I'm the bodyguard in the trenchcoat.)

Holding was at the prestigious Salamagundi Club for American Art. A historical place located in the brownstone section of downtown's 5th avenue between 11th and 12th Streets. Many famous artists were members here, including Winston Churchill, R.B. Fuller, Al Hirschfeld...etc. The perfect crossroads for our mutually artistic endeavors here. Our set was one brownstone away...at #47. Thus I was now part of the 3rd season of DAMAGES.

The scene was explained to us as one in which a Bernie Madoff-like character, named Taubin (Len Cariou), was coming out of his home and a couple of shots ring out... everyone ducks! EXCITING...

I was dressed in my suit and new Ralph Lauren trench coat, which I had just taken off so I can rest from my walk over from 8th Avenue, when we were summoned to go outside and be "onlookers" for the shooting crime scene. Obviously, they were shooting the aftermath of the melee first. So I decided to put on my glasses and amble out from the comfortable chat room that our holding area had become. I was immediately selected to be put on the sidelines and be more of a gawker from a distance near the "taped off crime scene". I must have been a pretty good blurr -along with the 20 or so others around me, because it was a quick take. Back to holding.

A few minutes later they wanted "reporters"...so I put on my trench coat and went on line for the associated props -surrendering my drivers license as collateral. I received a press badge, a pad and pen, and... a digital recorder. Needless to say we extras had a lot of fun with interviewing each other (and thereby getting into character). I "interviewed" one of the young women who liked to share stories about movies she had been in. My questioning went like this:

Q: What movie were you in the last time you were an extra?
A: I was in "A Couple of Dicks"...with Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan.

Q: Did you get to see both Dicks?
A: Yes... I saw both...

CUT!

And we were called to the second scenario. Again, I was immediately picked to be one of about a dozen reporters surrounding Martin Short as he makes a public statement about his client, Tobin. As we're practicing how to jut out our hand-held recorders and microphones toward our target... Martin Short walks into our midst and says a couple of non-challant "Hello"'s.

Although I had seen Martin Short's character in the previous season of Damages, I did not expect him to be so serious in person. After all, this was the immensely talented comic of Saturday Night Live, creating numerous funny characters that bent you over with uncontrollable laughter (my favorite was Ed Grimley). So it was a bit difficult to adjust to the properly coiffed and impeccably suited character portrayed by the "new Martin Short". But I accepted it... how could you not, being 2 feet away from him and watching him practice his lines with a disturbingly stoic face. At the end of his monologue (aka: "statement to the press") he dismisses all of us with "no further questions"... and we are directed to yell after him with a futile attempt to get more legalese utterances. The scene was shot quite a few times until Todd Kessler, the director was satisfied.
I realized that this was the closest I'd ever been to an actor without being introduced. I was kwelling! It can't get any better than this.

Oh YES it can!

When we were told to come out for the third scene, I was (again) immediately picked to "go stand over there -next to that other gentleman". And as I met up with my new African-American gentleman friend, we began a friendly banter. He was about my height, had a white beard, and said he worked with rappers like "Fiddy Cent". Kewl! And as we were chatting it up...a couple of major director-types came up and told us we were being "promoted". Took our "press badges", and gave us "secret service earplugs with the curly wire connected to our shirts". We two were selected to be "Madoff's/Taubin's" body guards. And then we were ushered up the brownstone steps and into the entrance area where we were now introduced to Martin Short, and the elderly actor, Len Cariou, who plays Taubin... and Todd Kessler himself. All of them shook hands with us. Now that's a promotion I've yet to experience!

Our direction was to go out to the oncoming rush of reporters. My fellow body guard would go first, followed by Martin Short with "Taubin" behind, and then me -with all of us shooing the reporters out of our way WHEN, suddenly a couple of shots ring out and we all crouch down on the steps in abject terror of whatever may have happened. The scene went well... numerous times. But the director wanted "Just one more...just for FUN!". Naturally we obliged. But I had developed a kind of rhythm all my own of just how a body guard should behave. And so, after each shot rang out, while everyone else was hiding their heads -I stuck mine up...with a menacing glance to see "where the shots came from". I was sure I would be told to "hide" my prominence with the others -but miracle of miracles, it was acceptable each time. So there's a good chance that I may see myself on this episode. One problem, I forgot to ask which episode this was. Oh well, there's always HULU in case I miss it.
I went to see Carrie Fisher's "Wishful Drinking" over this past weekend and she was terrific. I mention this because her wonderful performance was inspiring in terms of "facing up to your life" (not to mention reprising it every night on the stage). And the connection is that both Carrie's one-woman-play "life story" and DAMAGES are... damaged. Both reveal a psychologically disturbing undertone that is the real driving force for the surface story of their respective main characters. The difference is that Carrie's is real, and DAMAGES' is only for a few seasons. Comparatively speaking, an extra's life, at least, remains intact. No waivers, thank you.

Sean Penn plays a FAIR GAME

Sean Penn & Naomi Watts

The Bronx? It's shooting in the Bronx? I haven't been there since I got lost as a cab driver during my college years on the labyrinthine roads that crisscross the outer reaches of New York City. Oh well... I just had to see what Sean Penn was really like in person -so I took the gig.

There were 2 scenes that were being shot at Lehman College. One was to be a speech given in the gym at the sad-history-making college known as Ohio State. Four students were shot there by our National Guard back in the 60's. Today it's a magnet for political outspokenness. This is where Ambassador Joseph Wilson, played by Sean Penn, makes a poignant speech to students and faculty about the importance of doing our duties as responsible citizens and to speak out when there is injustice.

Mr. & Mrs. Wilson (not from Dennis the Menace)

Fair Game is based on the book of the same name -written by Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame. Valerie's role was given to Naomi Watts -who, unfortunately for us, was not in these scenes.
It's a fascinating story involving the political machinations of the George Bush administration and the Wilsons' court battle against the Chaney crew during the early invasion years of Iraq (circa 2003). The movie is set to be released in 2010.

After we were taken to the gym, and rehearsed for our reactions to Sean Penn's soliloquy... LUNCH was served! Interesting. I would have thought that we'd be going right into the scene while our cues were fresh in our minds. And after lunch we were arranged into our bleacher-seats and told to Shhhhhhhhhhh.

The door opened on the left side and Sean entered to a silent gym... the guy behind me whispered "...there's the man...in person...he has entered..." Needless to say the mostly-young crowd was gaga over the cantankerously demanding actor's presence. I almost laughed out loud but was afraid of immediate ejection -so I looked up at the ceiling and the walls...and regained my composure. Director Doug Liman

Doug Liman was the director. Not quite as clean shaven as his photos are on the web. A likable person who knows how to interact with difficult personalities as well as to joke around with the likes of the post-pubescent extras. At one point he wanted a natural reaction from us and prodded us to answer a mostly obscure question from Sean's monologue. Specifically: "Does anyone really know the first batch of words from the State of the Union Message?" Naturally, we all went "Whaaa....Wheeere....Whoooooah...." -when Doug revealed that "Perfect! You were all on camera with your natural reactions! Thank you all." Cute.

And then it was show-time. Sean began his lines, pacing on the podium...when all of a sudden, he halted as the number-4 train went rumbling by outside...every few minutes...interrupting the sensitive Sean's concentration -and he forgot his lines; prompting him to yell out at the script girl in frustration, "LINES!" After a few of those train passages, he announced "...and I'd like to thank the 'brilliant' person who scouted this location...Ahemmmmm...". He was definitely pissed.

Nonetheless, after a few frustrating pauses and sips of liquids, he regained his composure and continued like a trooper -for the next 3 hours. Repeating and repeating the takes until he was showing some exhaustion. Doug, the director, obliged and rode the camera dolly for as long as he had to... back and forth -right in front of me. My only hope of being spotted in this scene would be from the steady cam at the opposite side of the gym while Doug was not eclipsing me. A third camera remained in one place from the right side. Sean finally left -with a modicum of satisfaction.

Scene 2 would take place in Lehman College's concert hall (adjacent to the gym). Hmmm...Seattle was just next door to Ohio in movieland, so we didn't have to walk too much in the drizzling rain that was now coming down on the political set.

I was seated next to two young women. One was more responsive to my dopey quips between takes so we developed a comfortable cammaraderie and felt at ease chatting it up and exchanging observations while Sean was up on the stage greeting "Viet Nam veterans". Our direction was to get up from our seats when Sean ended his appearance and walk to the back of the auditorium. A walk that we had to repeat a dozen times. I chalked it up to some well-needed exercise. Not so for the girl 2 seats from us, who had a sprained leg and had to hold a "peace symbol". Trouble was, she didn't know which end was supposed to be up on the symbol. I was cracking up laughing in irony. Here we are in 2009, in a political film, and the new generation has no idea what that 1960's symbol is about! But protest with it, she did! Now that's acting... strange, but acting nonetheless.

And this too hath passed. The scene was over and Sean left the stage to our honest applause. To which he clasped his hands and "namaste'd" a "Thank You" with a... surprise, surprise... A SMILE! So he wasn't a grumpy old dickhead after all... he really could smile. I had to admit that I respected the way he worked. He did his acting well and completed the job to the best of his attempts... train sounds not withstanding. Bravo Sean.

After wrapping up, I packed my changes of clothes, said my goodbye's to my new friends and my old friends - and rode the No. 4 train past the new Yankee Stadium and back to "toidy-toid street"... a seemingly much faster ride home from the Bronx than I'd ever expected. And I didn't get lost this time.

[EPILOGUE: Went to see the movie in late November 2010 with my wife. Not surprisingly, the "How many of you know my wife's name?" soliloquy location WAS RELOCATED to some quiet realm. Probably where there are no subway noises to interrupt Sean's performance. I know this because there were red courtains shown in the movie and I know for certain that there were none in the Lehman College's gym!? As for the movie... it was ok. The best scene being the one at the end where Naomi Watt's character begins to speak into the congressional microphone... and the scene cuts to the real Valery Plame's testifying presence from real news footage.]

BACK for more

And that's in fact what I keep doing... along with the rest of my background buddies. This time it was for a CBS pilot about a NYC guy who "returns" 8 years after he disappeared in the 9/11 attack. The pilot is aptly named "BACK"... at least for me.

My agent graciously put me on the call-sheet as one of the early numbers -so I had to show up on Palm Sunday at 5:30 AM in the Wall Street Chinese restaurant that was designated as our holding area. Not a bad place. Clean, comfortable and for most of us, barely utilized. We were taken to the set very quickly and used for the next 6 hours without a break -in the cold windy streets of downtown Broadway. Un-f*** beliveable! And me without eating any breakfast!! Now I understand why union-actors are so necessary on the set.
(I took this photo...and others, on my way to work at the World Financial Center on 9/11/2001)
But once the hunger pangs vanished... I realized where I really was. The initial shoot was by the charging bull landmark. I had walked these very streets on 9/11 in my attempts to get home. I took pictures of the bull covered in ashes then... and the streets around it looking like they would after a snow storm. Except it wasn't snow, it was the aftermath of NYC's worst tragedy in history... my personal flashbacks of that day now kept resurfacing. And so I realized how this "pilot for CBS" was a piece of my life as well. I was also... "back"!

The star of the show was Skeet Ulrich -a former principal in the TV apocalyptic series called, JERICHO. He looked pretty cool as a man who sauntered up Broadway as though he had come out of a coma and everything was "strange" to him. That "strangeness" was depicted by him passing a bunch of goth-teens, a pregnant woman, a kissing couple - and a woman who resembled someone familiar, perhaps his wife. Our background task was to pass by in a NYC-rush mode as he took his time walking.

The director, Mark Pellington was very involved with participating in the type of effect he wanted from this scene. At one point he took the steady-cam and started experimenting with it... walking all over the place in a "camera's POV" substitution for the actor. His large stature was immediately noticeable along with his thick glasses and crescent-faced jaw. But, interestingly enough, his style wasn't overbearing, as one would expect. It was more clandestine in many respects. He once went in back of us extras standing on line for the stunt bus -and had the PA go in front of us while he pointed to some of our backs. Indicating which ones he wanted to remain. The PA would do the talking for him in front of us.

Luckily, I was one of the 6 chosen who would be put on the bus. I was no longer freezing my butt off in the windy streets with the rest of the poor actors. I was now sitting inside a warm bus -qwelling at my good fortune. And my fortune got better. One of the supporting actresses, Kerry O'Malley, a beautiful redhead, was slated to be in this scene. Her direction was to be the last one on the bus line outside - give a lingering look...and then board the buss. Right in front of ME! And since the scene had to be repeated a few times, once she got on the bus, she would take her shoes off and rub her cold feet to get them to warm up. At one point she looked up and gave me a big smile... Flashback: Hungary...pre-1956... I remembered one of my mother's young clients who came to her for dresses... her name was Erzsi... very friendly... she escaped with us across the border to freedom. And this actress looked very much like her. After a while the scene re-shoots ended -the actress left and we were told to remain on the bus for a while. Most of us fell asleep from our long ordeal without a food break.

Soon afterwards we were told to return to holding. One of the PA's read off 40 random choices of people who were still needed for the remainder of the afternoon. Most of us were not among them and were happy to be checked out. I had entertained thoughts of lingering in the neighborhood for old times sake but decided that I'd rather go home and prepare myself a tasty meal in the comfort of my house. Pretty much the way I felt back on 9/11.

Epilogue:
After browsing the web to see what ever happened to this pilot, I found the following comment-

"MMur10k: Fri, Mar 19 2010 at 5:09 AM EDT
'Back' was never picked up which is a shame as it was a great concept...
-most things go to pilot and then they're optioned or not optioned. As you can see most pick ups are formulaic or remakes."

2nd Season Finale for DAMAGES

The blurry patron in the background is... me! (aired: 4/1/2009 in the final episode)

It was the beginning of my real-life working week when lo-and-behold an email from my "agent provocateur", Desiree, had arrived with an offer to be an extra on the second season of DAMAGES! That was great timing since my wife and I just saw the 2nd season premier of the show recently. And it was on a weekend shoot, so I didn't have any conflicts... well, not much. There was supposed to be 6 inches of snow falling that day, changing to ice rain with freezing temperatures... and the shoot was going to be outside. Pshawwww! Piece of cake.

The email was only a few minutes old so I was pretty confident that I'd get the booking if I responded quickly enough. A quick check with the wife and I was "cleared for takeoff"!

The call time of 6:30 AM in Brooklyn Heights was not as easy to make as I thought it would be. PARKING is a miraculous accomplishment in that area. But after 20 minutes of circling around in the pre-dawn streets I found a spot that was just barely legal from the ubiquitous restrictions signs. I got out and grabbed my wardrobe paraphernalia and began my 3 block trek to holding. En route I passed the HEIGHTS CAFE. It was surrounded by lights and crew and I figured that was the set. I flagged down one of the walkie-talkie guys and asked where holding was. Since he was headed there himself, we walked together. After starting up a little chit-chat with him, I found out that Glen Close was not going to be in this scene at which point I had an inkling that my favorite alternate-actress, Rose Byrne, would nevertheless be there. As it turned out, I was right on the money. Oh Happy Day!

Holding was on Remsen Street, a large well lit and WARM room in one of the local churches. Inside, I settled down by myself at one of the tables when I saw a friendly face from the corner of my eye. It was Owen, from the Fashion Rock and Verizon gigs. We immediately clicked and lamented about our past few-and-far-in-between jobs during the past year. And then we were quickly assembled and called to the set -it was time to go to work.

The first scene had to do with all of us walking all over the intersection outside of the Heights Cafe (wherein Rose Byrne was sitting -later to be joined by Tate Donovan). We did this on and off for about an hour in the cold air. Luckily I was dressed in my business suit and warm trench coat. My buddy Owen, was unfortunately in a casual hoodie and was feeling frosty after a while.

Our dizzy parading had ended -it was to provide realism for the activity outside the cafe, and we were told to return to holding. Ah! Warmth again... and let's not forget about the bathroom's comfortably relieving environs either.

When I exited the WC (wasser-closet), I heard the PA telling everyone to switch into our alternate wardrobe: the business casual "acceptably shlumpy" look. I was puzzled! Was that all they wanted out of my business suit? So I went over to the PA and asked for verification. She immediately got on the horn and a second later (really...one second), she said "they need you back on the inside of the set". Wow... talk about a squeaky wheel getting oiled, I zoomed out of holding and down the street only to be catching up to three other perspective returnees ambling down the block toward the coveted set.

When we got there, we all went inside the cafe which on the inside was turned into a jumble of lights and cables and a wild mix of various levels of directors and assistants. One of them immediately ushered us out of the warm belly of the beast and so we wound up waiting outside in the cold for him to get back to us. Tick, tock,... Graciously, the wait was relatively short and our new "handler" gave us all the once-over-look. We all knew the excruciating routine -WHO WOULD HE PICK? WHO GETS THE PRIZE?

Finally, after a looooong "Ummmmm", the Jason Lee-look-alike pointed to me and one of the women to go in and be "placed" on the set. We ambled through the light poles and thick cabling onto the main area where the two of us were seated in a horse-shoe shaped booth, ready with breakfast settings. Alas, my female companion's stint was short lived. For some reason, maybe the green sweater, she was asked to leave and I was placed into her seat. The seat that was directly in line with the back of Rose Byrne's head, Tate Donovan's face and the DP's camera lens. Yesssssssssssss!

Tate Donovan

My direction was to be a lone businessman-patron in the background who is reading the paper while nibbling on his breakfast. Simple enough, but after take-1 I was told to "put the phone down"! I was incredulous at the director's direction so I challenged him: "What phone? Where? I don't have a phone!" I blurted out at the injustice of the apparent criticism. But it was just his way of telling me to put my left hand down from my ears (where I usually cradle my head when I'm having breakfast!?). He told me to not worry and "eat occasionally -it's real food, drink OJ every now and then" and make sure I don't make any "background noises"... !

What's he accusing me of now, inadvertent flatulance? Oh yeah...he meant the fork and glasses shouldn't be heard in the microphone during my motions.

After the 2nd and 3rd take, I was complemented with making it look "very natural" and "perfect"! (Damn! I'm good.)

Director Todd Kessler

But of course, my attention between takes was on the principals. Tate Donovan looked real skinny and much younger in person than on TV. He was good with his lines and the well directed blocking. Rose Byrne had her head back to me...but I noted that she blew her lines once or twice and she was disappointed in herself. The director, Todd Kessler would crouch down at her table and provided a few serious-faced instructions between takes. Later, after the scene was completed, Rose stood up -a shapely figure, almost in silhouette against the cafe's bright window -and gave a glance my way. There was a nanosecond of a moment with eye-contact between us as she paused and then went past my booth to her own holding area in the back. She has alluringly sad eyes-but then that may have been a part of "remaining in character".

The scene: The character of Ellen Parsons, who is trying to warn Tate's character, Tom Shayes regarding the impending doom about to befall their treacherous boss, Patty Hewes (Glen Close). Tom, of course accuses her of being crazy and storms out of the restaurant. End of scene. Later on I learned that this was part of the last episode a.k.a. "the season finale"! Whew...I just made it. Albeit, a 3rd season has reportedly been agreed to by the powers that be.

The third scene dealt with walking down a busy street. I was paired with an elderly woman who had been a SAG extra for quite some time and during the takes we shared the usual stories about our respective adventures as extras. She was recently on the Conan O'Brien show, photographed as a granny who was run down by Santa's reindeer. She was extremely good natured and very comical in describing the positions that she was contorted into for the photo shoot. Talking with her made the discomforts of the cold weather negligible -I would have loved to hear more.

The shoot was done -there was no snow, rain or ice, and we returned to holding where they were setting up for lunch. Unfortunately, we were told that our 4 hour stint was enough and we could leave! And that, of course immediately triggered my hand to reach for my "exit voucher", putting me in first place (a career first) on the sign-out-line. I bid farewell to Owen...and was home in 45 minutes. Just in time to hear my wife tell me that we were getting together with our cousins for ... what else, LUNCH!

Summer Stock Spectating

Patty Smyth (photo: me)

Patty Smyth performed at a local Long Island park with her band Scandal to a great turn out (as far as Long Island summer turnouts go). From the roadie-side of the gentle plastic fence, she was giving out autographs to about 5 kids -so I went over and just barely got to snap off a digital shot, as she excused herself, waved a quick "I'll be back in 5 minutes..." (aka: lemme-outahere) ... and got ready for the show.
At 51, she was fantastic...constantly jumping all over the stage, wading -make that lounging, with the audience -perfectly confident and at ease with herself. That self having been in the business for 30 years, marrying John McEnroe of tennis-bad-boy fame...and raising as she puts it, "...six friggin kids..". But man, does she ROCK!!!

Suzanne Vega (photo: me)

My wife had a chance to grab a couple of tickets for the Suzanne Vega - Marc Cohn billing at the Wesbury Music Theater (aka: Bank-something-or-other theater) and I managed to get a photo of the demure Mz. Vega while she was signing her CDs.

Maroon 5's Adam Levine (photo: me)

Bryant Park in NYC has been showcasing a fantastic batch of talent. And each Friday, I take an early train to work, just so I can catch the various acts -hence becoming part of the background decoration for ABC's morning show. In the summer I like to grab an ice coffe and an almond crossant a block away from the park so I can be nourished enough to quell properly. I try to take my camera along but occasionally forget -those are the times I kick myself the hardest. Nonetheless, I manage to take a couple of shots -and when I can't... I troll the internet for someone who could! Maroon5's Adam Levine was on the Good Morning America temporary stage. This guy has some kind of built-in charisma and he can't help but continues to satisfy. Watching him perform and interact with the band and the audience, creates a mezmerizing sensation. I could sense the audience of work-force groupies agreeing with me.

Jaclyn Smith in Times Square (photo: me)

Jaclyn Smith is starting a new REALITY TV SHOW (oh boy...yet another way to get people over their inhibitions). It will have something to do with hair cutting and restyling people's hair. The best hair-designer wins?

Well... it could work! Anyway, the former Charlie's Angel was stunning as she sat there posing with models of various sexes -at Times Square's Military Island. I especially liked the way her partially open (let's face it, mostly open) blouse was constantly playing with my libido. The guy next to me was holding a small furry dog. As Jaclyn came closer to our tribe of gawkers, I motioned to her to look at the dog and pose with it. I caught her attention and she took one look at the fuzzy-wuzzy in my chit-chat buddy's clutches and immediately reached out to the man, who gratefully sacrificed his "best friend" for the impromptu photo-op. Jaclyn posed, pursed her lips, cuddled the creature and promplty returned it to my fellow oogler. I hope the show works...otherwise it's back to the dogs.

Cyndi Lauper was wearing a biker-type leather jacket and she appeared to be very young with her Camron Diaz haircut (or maybe the facelift). Either way -she still sizzles...and when she comes down into the audience...WOW! She's a treat...and then some!!!
Countng Crows' frontman, Adam 'Duritz, is an energetic talented dude...but the hairstyle is getting tiresome. This guy needs a new image -BIG TIME. Maybe I should send him towards Jacqueline's way?
Miley Cyrus (photo: me)

I've never seen Bryant Park soooooo filled up with teenie boppers and their parents. It was mayhem by the time I got there, so I put my camera on digital zoom and got a shot of Miley's backside. That was about as close as I could get from the sidelines I used to call trees and shrubbery. The poor park was trampled by the pre-pubescent hordes... albeit they were all well behaved. The cops, after all, had their crowd-control gear on! I have to be honest about her performance...I liked the dancers and her moves but I never got into the tunes... perhaps it was strictly on the level of the kiddies around me. Oh well, I was spared -at least Barney the Dinosaur didn't show up. In the words of Simon Cowel, "I expected more."

Other showcased groups that I saw were: Boyz II Men, One Republic, the Broadway company of RENT

Boyz II Men (photo: me)

One Republic (photo: me)

Company of RENT with Diane Sawyer and Sam Champion (photo: me)

There were times when my lack of "hipness" was becoming evident... I hadn't heard of One Republic until I recognized their signature hit -then all of a sudden---BAM!---I was hip again. The company of RENT blew me away though. I'd only been able to catch the movie but the songs, being performed live were connectingly meaningfull. I stayed an extra 10 minutes and got to work late just so I could hear another song. I'll be catching the rest of the Bryant Park fare as the summer's Friday's roll around... Now let's see what's on the agenda...Gloria Gaynor... Jonas Brothers...Donnie and Marie... Kidd Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd finished the Good Morning America summer series. So I had to do my papparazo stuff in the theater district.

Gloria Gaynor - Jonas Brothers - Marie and Donnie (photo: me)

Kid Rock (photo: me)

Broadway was just letting out on Sunday afternoon when we got lucky and spotted a few celebs at the stage doors -signing autographs. The Boeing Boeing cast was great.

Christine Baranski (photo: me)

Mary McCormack (photo: me)

Mark Rylance (photo: me)

Bradley Whitford (photo: wife)

Kathryn Hahn (photo: wife)

I got a few pix of some of the Xanadu cast. They were very accomodating except for Tony Roberts. He wanted nothing of the crowd and totally ignored everyone, refusing to sign autographs. Nonetheless, I got a shot of him scooting away in the background. Whoopi Goldberg had a real sour puss on -for a comedienne, she had no sense of humor about her real self (bad day ath the hairdresser?), but she went through the scribling motions and gave everyone an autograph. She was very generous with her time and stayed until they were all signed. Cheyenne Jackson was the best -he poses with everyone (just ask him)!

Tony, Whoopi, Cheyenne and the gang (photos: me)

Well, I may not have worked much this summer as an extra, but I sure saw a lot of celebs and was lucky enough to get up close and impresonal. I keep checking my email for offers, and even dredge the internet for weekend extras work... but that's just not the way showbiz operates. As best as I can tell, there is very little work this summer for extras in NYC -forces are at work that have migrated the movie industry to Chicago -where the tax breaks are huge. So I consider myself lucky to be where I am: working the foreground in RL (real life) and spectating as an extra in the background.